The scene that played out in my mind most often this past week as I prepared for Maggie Dow’s service was admittedly odd, at first thought.
It’s a scene from the World War II epic, “Saving Private Ryan.”  During the climactic scene of the film, an American sniper, Private Daniel Jackson, sits in a church bell [...]

I come to this and every memorial service with the same starting point – that every human life is created by God, unique, and worthy of celebration.  We are, after all, created in God’s image, and that in itself is enough cause for celebrating the gift of life as it has been lived out in [...]

The bond between a mother and son is undeniably special.  When that son is an only child, the tie that binds is only deeper.
Jay Tate has probably put more thought and work into this service today to honor his mother than anyone I can remember in my almost 25 years of pastoral ministry.  His desire [...]

We don’t know a lot about what Harold Adams wanted for this service today.  He didn’t give many details.  But we do know he wanted it simple and short.  I will try to honor that.
Simple and short – that was Harold Adams’ life.  Yes, I know he lived to be 85 years old, but even [...]

My Aunt Leny was special.  She never invented anything, never wrote a book, never traveled the world, never ran for office, never chaired a board, and never made a fortune.  But when an almost-85-year-old packs a large funeral home chapel with standing room only for her funeral, you know she was special.